In a laundry a wide range of chemicals are used in cleaning cycles. In cases where chemicals are manufactured as solid casts, it is necessary to have a dispensing unit which can generate and deliver chemical cleaning solutions to a laundry cleaning machine. Generation and delivery of chemical cleaning solutions from the dispensing unit should be automatic, thereby requiring minimal operator assistance and minimizing the likelihood of hazard arising from blending incompatible solutions. Incompatible solutions include solution combinations which, when blended, are reactive and yield undesirable byproducts, such as a liberated toxic gas and an insoluble precipitate.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,342,587, issued to Laughing et al., Aug. 30, 1994 and hereby incorporated by reference, discloses a detergent dispenser for use with a solid cast detergent. A single valve is utilized to initiate a flow of a ready-to-use detergent solution that may be drawn off the container. The valve commences a flow of water which is split in a T-shaped fitting. An appropriate portion of the water is routed to spray on the solid cast detergent and dissolve the detergent, thereby generating a concentrated solution. The concentrated solution flows into a conduit where it is mixed with a second portion of the water, thereby diluting the solution to an appropriate concentration for use. A restricter located in the T-shaped fitting acts to split the flow of water appropriately to ensure the discharge solution is in a ready-to-use concentration.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,435,157, issued to Laughlin, Jul. 25, 1995 and hereby incorporated by reference, discloses a laundry chemical dispenser for use in servicing at least two laundry cleaning machines by dispensing a plurality of chemical agents utilized in the process of cleaning soiled laundry and wherein at least two of the chemical agents are compatible. The chemical dispenser has a plurality of chemical dispensing systems designed to deliver a selected chemical agent from a source to a washing machine. A chemical dispensing system is in flow communication with each chemical source and in flow communication with each washing machine. Each chemical dispensing system has a pump and a delivery conduit. For selected chemical agent delivery, the pump is a venturi injector pump. The chemical dispensing systems utilized for dispensing compatible chemical agents have a common portion and are fluidly independent from chemical dispensing systems utilized for dispensing incompatible chemical agents.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,478,537, issued to Laughlin et al., Dec. 26, 1995 and hereby incorporated by reference, discloses a detergent dispenser for use with a solid cast detergent. The detergent dispenser is coupled to a source of fluid and has a chemical source in solid cast form. A spray generator is designed to generate a fluid spray bearing on the chemical source, thereby generating a concentrated solution of the chemical. The concentrated solution of the chemical is discharged through a discharge conduit. A single valve controls a flow of fluid from the source of fluid. The valve has an inlet operably and fluidly coupled to the source of fluid, an outlet operably and fluidly coupled to the spray generator, and an outlet operably and fluidly coupled to the discharge conduit. A metering device for selectively metering portions of the flow of fluid to the spray generator and to the discharge conduit is disposed within the valve. The metering device selectively and fluidly couples the inlet to the outlet which is operably and fluidly coupled to the spray generator and to the outlet which is operably and fluidly coupled to the discharge conduit. A pressure feedback shutoff system is utilized to ensure that fluid flow to the spray generator is disabled at the time the flow in the discharge conduit is disabled.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,549,875, issued to Laughlin et al., Aug. 27, 1996 and hereby incorporated by reference, discloses a detergent dispenser for use with a solid cast detergent. The detergent dispenser is coupled to a source of fluid and has a chemical source in solid cast form. A spray generator is designed to generate a fluid spray bearing on the chemical source, thereby generating a concentrated solution of the chemical. The concentrated solution of the chemical is discharged through a discharge conduit. A single valve controls a flow of fluid from the fluid source. The valve has an inlet operably and fluidly coupled to the source of fluid, an outlet operably and fluidly coupled to the spray generator, and an outlet operably and fluidly coupled to the discharge conduit. A metering device for selectively metering portions of the flow of fluid to the spray generator and to the discharge conduit is disposed within the valve. The metering device selectively and fluidly couples the inlet to the outlet that is operably and fluidly coupled to the spray generator and to the outlet that is operably and fluidly coupled to the discharge conduit. A pressure feedback shutoff system is utilized to ensure that fluid flow to the spray generator is disabled at the time that the flow in the discharge conduit is disabled.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,846,499, issued to Laughlin et al., Dec. 8, 1998 and hereby incorporated by reference, discloses an air induction bowl for use with a detergent dispenser. The detergent dispenser uses an air induction bowl adapted to support an inverted container of solid cast chemical and has a jet for directing a spray of liquid on the solid cast chemical to generate a solution thereof. The chemical dispenser has a valve for control of the liquid supplied to the chemical dispenser, the valve being in flow communication with the jet. The bowl comprises a container receiver portion having an upwardly directed container opening defined. The jet is disposed in an accumulator portion of the bowl. A discharge portion of the bowl has an air induction opening in fluid communication with the accumulator portion.
There is then a need for a dispensing device which can generate and blend compatible cleaning solutions, yet separately generate and deliver incompatible solutions as well. There is also a need in the industry for a dispensing device which can perform these functions with a minimum number of components, thereby ensuring reliability and ease of maintenance.